1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a portable standing work seat with a substantially circular flatly tapered non-slip base, a support column and a dish-shaped seat with raised rear edge and a declining front edge, the seat being mounted at the top end of the support column.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Standing work seats are extremely useful, particularly where the use of a customary seat unit with thigh supports oriented substantially horizontally is impossible at a work station. For example, when a particular work height or a particular reaching distance are necessary for a machine which is to be operated, or when the free space for the operator's thighs, knees or feet are constricted by machine parts.
Standing work seats used at such work stations produce a physical relief for the worker with the result of increased concentration upon the work to be performed and avoidance of muscular cramps and fatigue. Such standing work seats assume a considerable part of the load of the user's upper torso and permit a considerable extension of the legs so that the latter need only perform a bracing and stabilizing function and the leg muscles can be largely relaxed. Furthermore, they permit the worker to alternate between standing and sitting postures.
A standing work seat of the above type is known, e.g., from DE-OS No. 2642 112. Disadvantages of the known standing work seat consist, inter alia, in the fact that the support column can execute inclinations with reference to the base, and that the seat is attached rigidly to the support column. Although the inclinability of the support column widens a user's range of reach, nevertheless the seat which permits inclination promotes sliding of the user, and the user is required to perform intercepting movements of his legs in order to avoid overturning. This prevents the optimum relaxation of the user with regard to the seat and his exclusive concentration upon the work is disturbed. Furthermore, due to the rigid non-rotatable fastening of the seat to the support column, the mounting and dismounting from the same is made difficult where knee space is restricted. The base consists of cast aluminium and therefore renders the standing work seat not only awkwardly heavy, but also costly and expensive of material.
A standing work seat is known from DE-PS No. 2618 292 and DE-OS No. 2641 242, wherein a collapsible tubular frame assumes a bracing on the floor and a small seat surface is vertically adjustably positioned at the top end of a tubular stirrup. The particular disadvantage of this solution is that the front tubular stirrup impairs the freedom of movement of the legs and feet and constitutes a stumbling hazard. Further, the range of reach is restricted because the seat is not rotatable.
It is a common disadvantage of both the known standing work seats that the seat surfaces of the seats do not take into consideration the physiological requirements of a user's buttocks and thighs, so that e.g., disproportionately high specific pressures are applied to highly sensitive parts of the body. These are not prevented even by the upholstery provided, because the seats have to be constructed of integral foam to withstand rough workshop conditions and are therefore relatively hard.